Apparatus for centrifugal separation



April 30, 1957 Filed Oct. 25, 1954 W. T. DOYLE EI'AL APPARATUS FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATION 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 30, 1957 w. T. DOYLE ET AL 2,790,550

APPARATUS FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATION Filed Oct. 25, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 e Myavmvs:

April 30, 1957 w. T. DOYLE ETAL APPARATUS FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 25 1954 //V YEA/T0796 Mass, assignors to Sturtevant Mill Cornpany, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 25, 1954, Serial No. 464,251 2 Claims. 01.209444) I This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for centrifugal separation of finely divided materials such as, for example, limestone and various other substances which may be desired to be classified on the basis of constituent particle size.

. In one general type of device heretofore employed in the art, it has been customary to utiliZe a rapidly rotating distributor plate whirling about a vertical axis and arranged in a position such that particles of material to be classified and separated may be fed by gravity on to the plate. Thereafter, the particles of finely divided material are acted upon by centrifugal forces and thrown radially outwardly away from the plate to lesser or greater degree, dependent upon the size and mass of the individual particles. There is also includedmeans for producing a flow of air which operates to lift, in a vertically upward direction, some of the fine particles which have been centrifugally acted upon while permitting larger particles to fall away and pass downwardly through a discharge opening.

A very troublesome limitation is found to be present with these prior art devices. Such machines will, in most cases, operate etficiently to separate and remove particles in a range of the magnitude of, roughly, 40 microns and above, but the machines are unable to provide any worthwhile classification and recovery of particles in a smaller micron range such as, for example, particles having a micron size of from 15 micron'sidown to as small, as microns or less. It happens that this particular micron size range has become of very considerable commercial significance, and there is an urgent need for a machinewhich will operate on a practical basis to classify and separate particles of various types of comminuted materials in a range of micron size below 40 microns and, espe cially, in the 155 micron range.

The present invention is concerned with the problem indicated and seeks to provide an improved method and apparatus for classifying and separating coniminuted products. More specifically, it is the object of the invention to devise a combination of classifier mechanism elements and means for producing the flow of air currents so as to achieve a sharp classification of particles occurring in small micron sizes.

The nature of the invention and its objects will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which, I

Fig. l is a plan view of the separator apparatus of the invention; I I

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view further illustrating the apparatus shown in Fig. l; V I I Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical cross section taken approximately centrally of the casing structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2; I I ,I I

Fig; 4 is a detailed fragmentary elevational viewof a classifier mechanism also shown in Fig. 3';

Fatented Apr. 30, 1957 Fig, 5 is a cross-section taken on: theline 5-5 of sn .7

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken-on-the= lineh -li o'f' s-B- l J.

.In accordance; with the inventiom we have found that classification and recovery of comminutedmaterial; in the 40-5 micron range may lac-successfully accomplishedfrom a commercially significant standpoint by: guiding? particles through several independently induced aircur rents, all of which air currents are causegl to' act simultaneously and in; conjunction with a centrifugingoperw 't whereby Particles ecom desi ab y prec ass fiefi-a d segregated in n a z esosci r inszpne;Wi in-a other This new satisn m ihchas sia npa tnn e discovery that, by producingan upwardlyrspiralling cur rent of air at points above andin' clos eproximity tothose regions into which particles are centrifugally displaced and by interposing rotating rejecton bladeele ments between the centrifuged particles and the-spiralling air currents, there may be exerted lifting forces of such precisely restricted intensity. that only th ose particles i n a very small micron range willbedrawn through the rejector' blade elements and upwardly to a suitable re-. covery point. i,

It has been found in this connection that this upwardly spirallingicurr ent of air cooperates very desirably with another flow of air continuously whirling in} a circumferentially directed path of movement'asa result of rotative movement of the rejector blade elements above" noted. This second flow of air operates-toretard in varying degree the amount of centrifugaldisplacementof the differently sized'parti'cles so that theyteiidrto move-and arrange themselves in concentric zones and to undergo a preclassification step. II I We have also discovered that, in conjunction with these two independently induced air strea'rn'sjusft above de scribed, still another air stream eflect' 'rnaybe advantageous'ly induced by means oft'wo opposed air currents which are generated by blade elements acting in vertical directio'ris from points above and below the path of radial" displacement of particles; The opposed air currents and blades together function to provide for a much more eificient pre classifica'tiong I I By combining the upwardly spiralling airflow ,wit theother air currents described, particles in the l5'5 micron" range are found to be sharply'segrega'ted from relatively coarser particles and can be r'ec'ov'ere'd w ithout bei'n'g' accompanied, to any appreciable extent, bythe relatively coarser particles. 7 I I I II I I In order to provide for' removal of particles within the range of selectivity noted, we have further devised'special scroll-shaped conduit means having: an aperturefform'ed' with converging sides which, atv one point, lead into a fan member along a horizontallyi directejdI path. ,We combine with this scroll-shap'edconduit a distributor plate and 'rejector blade structure'of the class'referredto above so that particles may be gravity fedioiito the distributor plate and caused to undergo a ure-classification'stepby' which particles gather in concentric zones. ReI'at i ve ly smaller particles from the iuner'z'one's" are classified by the rejector blades; II I I Those particles which pass througIh tlrer'ejector' bla' are lifted upwardly. The lifting for s" xer'tedon p ticles in this manner are obtained by lusting the speed of the fan at the scroll-shaped conduit toia valu'e'whifch' will develop a pull suflicient to exceed the downward pull or the rotating reje'ct'o'rblades and yet iim 'd to a valuewhich will not 'drav'v partifcl es of' an undes1 h ly lar'gfejsize through the rejector bladfe's. T escroll-sliap d conduit of the invention, w rr 1' cm upward air pull induced by the fan. .This control valve action is derived from the fact that demand for air by the fan acts through the scroll passageway which is of converging shape and air is caused tomove in an upwardly spiralling path rather than in a straight path. Therefore particles leaving the rejector blades are necessarilycarried in a spiralling air current. The lifting effect of such a spirally-induced air current is, we find, susceptible of very delicate control by adjusting the speed of the scroll fan with reference to the speed of the rejector blades.

'We have further devised as a component part of the classifier mechanism a second set of blades which are arranged to rotate with the rejector blades and which are adapted to induce opposed air currents acting from points above and below the zone of displacement of centrifuged particles leaving the distributor plate. We find that by regulating these several air currents it becomes possible to deal with various classes of finely divided material and still segregate in commercially significant amounts very small particles, particularly those in the -5 micron range. The second set of blades aids to a material extent in pie-classifying the particles in the centrifuging zone and, in particular, operates to maintain the annular zones of classification of a relatively lesser axial magnitude.

The structure shown in the accompanying drawings is intended to be illustrative of one preferred embodiment of the apparatus which we have devised. for carrying out the methodof the invention. As noted in the drawings, numeral 2 denotes an outer casing which includes an upper cylindrical section 4 and a lower conical ground section 6. Finely divided material is introduced into the casing through a feed inlet 8 and classified material is discharged from the casing through discharge outlets 10 and 12.

In accordance with the invention, we mount within this casing 2 scroll means and a classifier mechanism for producing independently driven air currents. sidering first the classifier mechanism, numeral 14 denotes a shaft which is supported in suitable bearing means 16 in turn fastened to a beam support 18 located at the top 20 of casing 2. Suspended from the top 20 and surrounding the shaft 14 is a tubular member 22 with which the inlet 8 communicates, thus defining an annular passageway 24 for material to pass from the feed inlet downwardly.

f Fixed to a collar 26 at the lower end of the shaft 14, as shown in Fig. 3, is a particle distributor plate 28 which is located directly below the annular passageway 24 in a position to receive material passing downwardly thercthrough. This plate 28 is normally rotated about a vertical axis by means of a motor 39 and a belt-driven pulley 32 secured at the upper end of the shaft 14 (Fig. 2), and the rate of speed of this distributor plate maybe varied in accordance with requirements.

Consequently, it will bc'seen that finely divided particles of material passing down through the annular opening in response to the forces of gravity will be intercepted by the distributor plate and subjected to centrifugal forces which tend to displace the particles radially outwardly to a greater or lesser degree, dependent upon the speed of rotation of the plate and the size and mass of theparticles. Under optimum conditions, the lighter or smaller particles will be displaced a relatively shorter radial distance while the heavier particles will be displaced a relatively greater radial distance, and differently sized particles tend to become segregated in annular zones so that a pre-classification step is carried out.

' However, it is pointed out that, under some working conditions and when dealing with certain classes of materials, this well-known distributor plate type of centrifuging does not always-produce as much pro-classification as might be desired. This is, perhaps, due to, the fact that, as the annular confining space occurring around the Condistributor platebecomes charged with a whirling mass of particles, it becomes more difficult for the relatively coarse particles to be thrown out through this mass as far as they would otherwise travel, and some of these relatively coarse particles may be picked up and carried along in one of the concentric zones in which smaller particles tend to gather.

With this possibility in mind and in-an effort to carry out a more eflicient pre-classification, we have provided the second set of blades above referred to and comprising upper blades 76'and lower blades 74, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The upper blades 76 are secured in spaced-apart relation to the underside of the rejector blade ring member 36 and each blade extends downwardly in an inclined position as shown. When the member 36 is rotated, the blades 76 produce a downwardly directed air stream acting against radially: displaced particles. The lower blades 74 are secured in spaced-apart relation around the bottom of the distributor plate and are pitched upwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 4. Since these blades also are rotating with the distributor plate, they tend to induce flow of air upwardly in opposed relation to the flow of air from blades 76.

These we sets of blades cooperate with one another to carry out two desirable functions. In one case, the upper blades tend to drive radially displaced particles downwardly into the path of the blades 74. The latter blades are whirling at relatively high velocity and, as they strike relatively heavy or coarse particles, they hurl these coarse particles outwardly with much greater force than they would otherwise have and, in this way, the particles are caused to travel outwardly all the way through the concentric zones of whirling particles already thrown out and thus a more efficient pre-classification is accomplished.

A second function performed by the blades 74 and 76 is that of maintaining the concentric zones of differently sized particles of a relatively smaller axial magnitude, in which state a smaller selective withdrawal of fine particles can be carried out.

To selectively move very small particles away from the pro-classified material occurring in the concentric annular zones noted, we further provide the rejector blade element shown consisting of a ring member 36 supported on rods 38 attached to the plate 28. This ring member rotates with plate 28 and has a sealing ring 41 received in annular ribs 46 fast on tubular member 22.

Vertically disposed around the ring 36 is a series of re jector blades 42 circumferentially spaced apart, as shown in the drawing. These rejector blades, when rotated, tend to function as a screening device for excluding some particles which may be directed thereagainst. The blades also act somewhat in the nature of a fan to induce a flow of air at points immediately outside of the edges of these fins, and this flow of air has a normal tendency to be directed downwardly.

The blades 42 are secured at their upper ends to another ring element 50 having radially projecting extremities 50a. As may be seen from an inspection of Fig. 3, the ring 56, at its upper side, communicates with an annular opening 52 defined by a recessed edge 52a formed in a separator plate 54. The edge 52a of plate 54 lies in spaced relationship around the tubular member 22 and, together with the member 22, constitutes an annular passageway through which particles which have passed through the rejector plates 42 may be caused to travel.

It is pointed out that, in earlier devices having an annular opening or passageway such as that just above described, it has been proposed to use a fan located above the opening. This fan had to be driven at a speedsufficient for overcoming any downward pull of the rejector blades 42. As a result, the upward pull which had to be emspecially constructed conduit consisting of the scrollshaped element 56 which extends around the tubular member 22 in a spiral path to define a converging aperture which communicates with the passageway 52 and is closed at its top side as shown. This scroll-shaped element is further illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 and, as best shown in Fig. 5, is provided at one point \w'th a tubular part 58 extending in a horizontal direction and leading directly into the suction side of a fan 60.

When the fan 60 is operated, air, because of the converging aperture defined by the scroll shaped element 56, is induced to follow a spiralling path rather than moving upwardly in a straight vertical path. Consequently, as the suction force can only take effect on air passing into the system from points below the classifier mechanism, the result is an upwardly spiralling flow of air. With such an upwardly spiralling flow, it is found that a relatively low fan speed can be employed to just overcome the downward pull of the rejector blades 42 and yet have a particle lifting effect of such limited intensity as to lift only very small particles.

Also connected to the fan 60 is a return duct 62 which connects with an opening formed in the housing 4, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the fan 60 is driven by the motor 64, belt 66 and shaft 68, the air which has been moved in an upwardly spiralling direction is drawn through the tubular part 58 and then recirculated through the return duct 62 at points within the cylindrical section of the housing which, as noted in Fig. 3, occurs in spaced relation to the drum 34. This recirculated air carries with it the fine particles which have been removed through the classifier mechanism and these particles are discharged in a downwardly directed stream around the sides of the casing sections 4 and 6 and, finally, out through the discharge outlet 12 where a suitable collecting means may be employed if desired.

We have also found that we may desire to employ a second scroll-shaped element 70 which is supported at the underside of the separator plate 54 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. The scroll-shaped element is positioned so that it occurs in spaced relation to both the cylindrical section 4 and the drum 34 and, as a result, this scrollshaped member 70, together with the cylindrical section 4, defines a converging aperture which operates to induce a more positive spiralling action of particles which are passing downwardly through the casing. Air which leaves this converging aperture from the scroll-shaped member 70 may be sucked upwardly to pass between a cone-shaped opening 72 through plates 72a located around the bottom of the conical drum 34, as shown in Fig. 3. be understood that the scroll-shaped element may or may not be employed in conjunction with the other parts described. However, the use of the scroll-shaped element 56 is essential to applicants method and apparatus.

.In practice, we have found that preferred results are obtained by driving the classifying mechanism at a relatively high speed and operating the fan at relatively low speeds. For example, in treating a sample of limestone which was about 98% finer than 44 microns and using a separator mechanism of three feet in diameter, the speed of the classifier mechanism was regulated at 2,000 R. P. M. while the fan 60 was operated at 410 R. P. M. vAt these settings, there was recovered a product which tested 85% in the 10-5 micron range. 'By regulating the speed of the outside fan to 1550 R. P. M., the product recovered, became coarser so that it tested only in the 10-5 micron range.

We claim:

1. An improved centrifugal separator including a casing formed with a feed inlet for receiving a finely divided material, a material classifier mechanism, including a preclassifier device mounted within the casing, a fan located above the classifier mechanism in a position to induce flow of air upwardly through the classifier, scrollshaped conduit means for guiding material along a spiral path of movement, and said preclassifier device including a distributor plate and two sets of blades located above and below the distributor plate.

2. An improved centrifugal separator including a cas ing formed with a feed inlet for receiving a finely divided material, a material classifier mechanism, including a preclassifier device mounted within the casing, a fan located' stantially opposite to the direction of flow induced by the said fan, said blade carrying device including an upper series of radially disposed blade elements which produce a downwardly directed flow of air and a second series of radially disposed blade elements located below the said first series for inducing a flow of air in an upward direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS It should Crites Feb. 16 1937 

